Rising to the brisk air of Rosedale’s rest area, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Today was the day I would explore a town with a name so bizarre, it still left my tongue twisted: Traralgon. But that was just the beginning of my adventure.
Despite the chilly morning in my car, I quickly got ready and set off on the road. With plenty of time to spare (tomorrow I could check-in at my hostel in Melbourne around 2 pm), I could stop at any town along the way to Melbourne, and boy, were there plenty. It seemed like every town had a library, and I couldn’t resist the allure of yet another one to add to my list of visited locations. Traralgon caught my attention with its peculiar name and quaint city center. A few days later in Melbourne, I would discover Traralgon is the place where Alex grew up.
The old Post Office and Court House
Upon arriving in the town Traralgon after 30 minutes, I made a beeline for the library, where I could get some work done and recharge my laptop. After a few hours, hunger pangs kicked in, so I made my way to the nearest mall and stocked up on snacks and fruit from Coles. Sitting on a bench outside the mall, I savored the fruit while admiring the stunning old Post Office and Court House from 1886. As locals strolled by, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity with this small town atmosphere. Though the blueprints differed vastly from those of my hometown in the Netherlands, I appreciated the vast amount of space and wider streets in Australian towns.
As the sun began to set, I headed back to the library for more writing, TV shows, and internet browsing. After finding my next resting area online, I hit the road again around 5 pm, with around 60 kilometers to go. However, the sun’s placement on the horizon made driving in that direction a nightmare, as its blinding rays caused visibility issues. Eventually, the road turned, and I could finally continue my journey without the sun’s glare.
I finally arrived at a gas station/service station rest area around 7 pm, hoping to shower at the Hungry Jack’s. Unfortunately, it was occupied, and upon inspection, the shower wasn’t up to my cleanliness standards. I decided to hold off until I arrived at the hostel the next day. After passing the time watching shows, I parked my car on the truck parking lot around 11 pm, where I attempted to warm up my freezing car. Eventually, I succumbed to the warmth of my vehicle and drifted off into a restful sleep.
